Pride's pain
by Anthony Stark
Summary: Ed is pride. Yaoi later. Angsty.
1. Chapter 1

Pride...he was made when Al accedently turned Edward into a homunculus. He seems to have no emotion, but an atomatic subconscious reaction to the word "small" may prove he yet has some semblance of Ed left in him. Like maybe, just maybe, Ed's hidden love for Roy Mustang...So when Pride pays a visit to military HQ with Envy and the others, discovering that everything Envy told him wasn't true, his memories of Alphonse and Roy, all the people the homunculi told him were imagined, but when he sees them for real, older, different then before, who knows what this replica of Edward will do when his emotions try to break through.

Pride trailed behind Envy obediantly, his eyes, though they were blank and devoid of emotion, we still the same beautiful, honey gold that Ed's were, and over his pale skin were intricate red tribal tattoos. His golden hair, which reached to just between his shoulder blades, was unbound, and shimmered in the sunlight as they strode unhindered into the military's main HQ. Pride wore black cloth bands around his ankles, and one around his right wrist, but the other arm was covered almost to the shoulder in a black arm warmer, the tattoo of the oroboros was visible just above it, on his left shoulder. Pride looked around, barely taking in what he saw of the plain inside of the building. Envy beckoned him forward, "Hey, Lust, I think it's time we see how Pride here takes meeting them, don't you?" Lust, who was standing next to Envy, nodded, and Pride just stood beside her, not even wondering what they were talking about, "C'mere Pride, we gotta get you changed, it's time to give that little brat a reality check." Pride followed Envy into an empty office, "I hear the Colonel's in East city right now, we'll have to go there..."

Pride stared at himself in the full length mirror that adorned the Fuhrer's bathroom, Wrath was in his office, getting information on just where Roy and Al were at the moment. Pride was surprised to say the least, when Envy suddenly pushed him into the bathroom, and tearing at his clothing, that is until now. Now Pride stood, wearing black pants, with a thick brown belt, a black undershirt, a black over shirt, and a bright red trench coat like jacket with the Hohenhiem's crest on the back in black. Envy had also braided Pride's hair, leaving the bangs down, and was fixing the buckles on Pride's black boots, which had red soles. "Time to go see them"

Alphonse Elric sat in an arm chair in Mustang's office in East HQ, his long, honey brown hair pulled tight in a pony tail on the nape of his neck, he wore a red jacket almost identical to the one his older brother Ed used to wear, and black clothes trimmed in white underneath. Roy was sitting behind his desk, wearing the usual uniform, his black hair a mess, his obsidian eyes flickered up as Hawkeye burst into the room, "Leutenant-?" Hawkeye didn't give Mustang a chance to finish, "It's-It's Ed!!!" She cried, Al jumped up, "What?! Where?!" Hawkeye pointed wildly out of the office, Alphonse ran past her out the door, followed by Roy, and they both froze in shock when they saw him. Edward Elric standing right before their eyes, Al rushed forward, flinging his arms around Ed's neck and sobbing into his chest, Ed seemed unfazed by seeing them, his eyes blank, that is until Alphonse said something. "Big Brother! I missed you so much Edward!!" Pride's eyes widened, "b-brother...?" he mumbled, his arms slipping up to wrap around Al's back, "Alphonse?" Roy could hold himself back no longer, and he patted Pride's shoulder unknowingly, "welcome back, Fullmetal." He said, Pride's eyes filled with tears, what were these feelings? what was this heaviness in his chest? the tightness in his throat, as memory after memory of Alphonse and Roy flashed through his mind, "Mustang...?" he wondered aloud, Envy suddenly stepped up beside him, pushing Al away, he placed his arm around Pride's shoulders, "Hello, Mustang, Alphonse." The two Envy had adressed leapt back, "Pride, they are your weakness, they must be destroyed for you to be happy." Pride turned wide, sad eyes on Envy, "No." Envy twitched, "what? you can't tell me no, that was an order!" Pride shook Envy's arm from around his shoulders, stepping toward Al and Roy instead, "I just said no. I won't listen to you, Envy." Envy glared at Pride angrily, but the younger sin wasn't paying any attention to him, "I am sorry, I am not Edward, my name is Pride." He swallowed hard against the pain welling up in his chest, Al stared at the floor for a moment, "that's right...I made you didn't I?" Pride was prepared for anger, but when Al looked up his eyes were filled with tears of joy, "but you're still my brother." Pride was shocked, "R-really?" Mustang smiled. "Of course, you're still Edward..." Roy turned shimmering black eyes on Envy. "Leave." He said simply, Envy grabbed Pride's wrist, dragging him away from Al, "Get off of me Envy!!!" but Envy was pulling Pride away, lifting him into his arms, regardless of Pride's struggling, and before Al could grab Pride, Envy had leapt out the window, and disappeared. 


	2. Chapter 2: Lost memory

A/N: It has been a long time since I've written on this story, and I intend to make it a lot better, I hope you've liked it so far, so, here we go again.

It's based on the manga, the end of the anime, and BBI.

Chapter 2: Lost Memory

Pride kicked and fought against Envy tooth and nail, screaming his protests even as Father opened a cell in the underground lair beneath Central, and Envy flung the younger Sin inside, "ENVY!!!!!!" He screamed, running at the bars, but the door slammed closed, and he collided with it instead. Pride sank slowly down until he rested on the floor, his hair was coming out of the braid Envy had put it in, and he pulled the hair tie free, and tried to re-braid it himself, he failed the first couple times, then managed it, tying the hair tie around it, and flinging it over his shoulder. He leaned against the wall, clutching the red trench coat close around him, and sighing.

Memories still flickered in his head of the two men in the office, a beautiful woman smiling, a house burning, a young blond girl crying for him, _for _him and A-Al. His mind stuttered over the name, unsure of himself, he said it aloud, "Alphonse…" He whispered, then new memories, memories of Roy. Black hair, blowing in the wind, hanging into dark eyes, a strange smirk that Pride, no Edward had always countered with anger, while in reality he felt only the small flutters of lust and embarrassment within. Pride stood up, pounding his fist against the wall, then fell back to the floor, his bangs falling around his face.

"Roy, what do we do?!" They had followed Envy as far as they could, and found some leads to Central, but they hadn't found Pride. Alphonse wrung his hands, and Roy shook his head,

"He didn't want to go…" Was all Roy replied, and they redoubled their efforts, searching Central from top to bottom. When they happened across Father's entrance to the tunnels, they ventured forward cautiously, easily killing the Chimeras that attacked them, and making their way through the tunnel. They emerged, to their surprise, right by the entrance to Father's secret cells, and heard the quiet sobs coming from behind one door, they forced it open with Alchemy, and Pride stared up at them from the other side, still dressed as Ed, his gloves were gone, showing two flesh hands, but Alphonse simply hugged the distressed Sin, and lead him from the cell, the whole time Pride tried not to stare at Roy, who was watching him out of the corner of his eyes.

When they all arrived in East City in Roy's office, they sat around in the various chairs and couches, Pride sat directly in the center, trying not to look at Roy still, with his dull golden eyes, he let them rest of Alphonse instead, who was sitting on his right, holding his right hand, and marveling at the flesh quality it had, "Wow…you're all here…" Pride swallowed, every time Alphonse spoke to him he felt a strange impulse to smile and respond as if they'd been together all their lives, he felt as if someone else was within his body hidden beneath the red cloak and black pants, as if someone was sitting inside him fawning over his brother's very real body, or reaching out to brush an errant strand of hair out of Al's face.

_I am here…you just…need to remember, I'm not someone else, we're the same person, Pride, you and I. And both Al and Roy need us now. _Pride twitched, had that thought come from him? Without knowing how he simply believed it was his thought, he needed to remember… but could he do it alone? He looked around the room, glancing at every person within the confines of the office and knew he wouldn't be alone, then his eyes locked with Roy's and he blushed, his dull mask slipping a little, and Roy stared into the golden eyes of Edward Elric, confident and strong, burning with passion, and strength, eyes that moments before had been empty and blank… No, Pride wouldn't face anything alone, not anymore, because he _was _Edward, and there was no escaping that.

A/N: I know it's short, but…tell me if you like it, and I'll continue, this seemed a good place to end the chapter.


	3. Chapter 3: Take My Place

A/N: Just so you all know, this Pride is from BBI, but, as you'll see in this chapter, I've decided to make him my own, I do not own him, I do not own BBI, or FMA, but I've played with this character, and he's become quite the sweet little child, so, by the end of this, he will not be much like the original Pride at all.

Chapter 3: Take my place

It had been three days since Pride had left Father's "Protection", and he'd never felt more… alive. Though, once he thought about it that was an odd word for him to use, considering he was a remake of what Edward had been. The first thing that had changed about Pride noticeably was his tattoos. He'd noticed it the fourth hour out of Father's care, the deep red tribal tattoos had begun to fade, sliding into nothingness, starting at his fingertips, and vanishing slowly. Instead, a symbol was bleeding across the lightly tanned skin of his right cheek, it, too, was red, after the morning of the third day it had become quite clear what it was, and Alphonse was marveling over the Flamel, the serpent twined around the cross, that was becoming beautifully clear on Pride's cheek.

Pride was wrenched from his musings when Alphonse opened the door to the room he'd been allotted in Alphonse's house, it would have been Edward's, and therefore, it was Pride's.

"How's it going, Pride?" the now-older boy asked, Pride smiled slowly, he was still becoming accustomed to the extremity of the emotions he felt when he was around Al and Roy, and the expression felt strange on his features.

"Good…I guess…" He said, slowly, carefully, but Al didn't seem to notice, he was toying with the end of Pride's braid. Pride's hair was much longer than Edward's, it reached the middle of his lower back, and it got longer by the week, Al loved to play with it, to braid it, and re-braid it, and brush it out, and stroke the glossy locks, and Pride was used to it, and hardly noticed anymore.

"I was thinking about…maybe…taking the position Mustang offered." Pride murmured, Al looked up at him with silver eyes, his hand had made its way to the ouroborus tattoo on Pride's left upper arm, and it traced the red symbol etched into the skin there.

"Ed's place…" Al muttered, looking sad, Pride blinked,

"Alphonse…I'm not trying to take Edward's place…" He said, emotion flickering across his face, sadness, "I would never…even if I'm…supposed to be him." Before he'd finished Alphonse had flung his arms around Pride's shoulders, hugging the scantily clad sin against his chest,

"You're Pride!" Al said, smiling around the word, "But you're so…empty of pride." He laughed in Pride's ear, "You _are_ Edward, and I don't regret creating you, you're my brother…I can tell. So, it'd be good, for you to become Fullmetal, because then people would know Ed isn't gone, and hope isn't gone." Pride blushed pink, and buried his face in Al's shoulder,

"Thank you, Alphonse…" All he could think to do was hope that Father let him be, and left him and his _family _alone.

Pride stood before Roy's desk, he'd forgone his original clothing in favor of a pair of loose slacks and a T-shirt, though he still wore the mismatched black arm warmers, wearing the taller on his left arm, rather than his right, when he'd been in the process of changing, he'd looked up to see Alphonse standing in his doorway, eyes wide, Pride had pulled his shirt on quickly, he knew what Al was looking at. Now, standing in front of Roy's massive desk, his left hand slid up to briefly touch the bolt that stuck part way out of his chest, it was Al's last needed proof that Pride was Edward, the bolt screwed into his chest, surrounded by scar tissue from the loss and regaining of his right arm, Roy didn't seem to notice as he looked over the paper's needed to reinstate "Edward" as a state Alchemist.

They found out that Pride could do Alchemy within an hour of rescuing him, something had broken, falling off the desk, and Pride had rushed over and fixed it in a flash of light, he had clapped quickly, they'd all seen it, and the shock had been palpable.

"Ah, there we are." Roy said, breaking the silence, Pride's hand dropped from the embedded bolt, and he shook his head minutely, wondering why he was so stuck in thought today, Roy stood up, and lifted a package from behind the desk, "Here's your uniform, you should at least wear part of it." He rolled his eyes, expecting and Ed response, a shouted 'no' or the like, but it was silent, he focused on Pride's face, and his eyes widened, Pride wasn't protesting, he was smirking, and his grin was a smirk to rival Mustang's. Pride took the package, weighing it in his hands, and Roy shook his head and lifted a silver pocket watch from the desk, holding it out, "Here's your watch."

Pride cradled the watch gently in his free hand before clipping it to his belt loop, and sliding the cool metal into his pocket, he saluted Roy, who blinked at him, before turning to leave, "I'll come in tomorrow, around eight o'clock, alright?" The voice that was and wasn't Edward's said, Roy nodded his permission, and Pride left.

Once in the hall he hooked his arm through Al's, and they strode through the Military building with an ease that belied how nervous Pride really was, Alphonse was smiling the entire time, and Pride couldn't help but smile back. When they reached the house, walking up the concrete pathway, Alphonse fumbled for his keys and unlocked the door, and the two of them entered the small, cozy house before separating into their bedrooms.

Pride sat on his, no Edward's, bed, opening the package to look over the blue material of the uniform, he set aside the white dress shirt, unsure if he'd wear it or not, immediately discarded the military issue blue jacket, setting the boots against the edge of the bed, he held up the pants, and the funny skirt thing that was semi attached to them. Pride chewed his lip as he surveyed the clothing, then clapped his hands, picturing what he needed, a flash of light later and Pride was grinning happily.

Roy Mustang slumped behind his desk with a heavy sigh, his hand held a cup of coffee, which was a soft caramel color, due to milk and sugar, and flicked through the stack of paperwork awaiting his signature, the door to the outer office opened, and Roy's eyebrows contracted when he heard Havoc snicker, and a whispered, "Roy's bitten off more than he can chew this time" From Fuery, before he could stand his door opened, and Edward entered, no…Pride entered. Roy couldn't stop his eyes from sliding down Pride's body appreciatively, the sin was wearing a black shirt that was rather tight, and showed off the well muscled stomach and abs that weren't covered by the sheer black material, over that he wore a long dark blue trench coat, with Edward's flamel splashed across the back in red, his lower half sported the uniform pants, but the once matching suspenders that hung on the sides were now black and white checkered, the pants were tucked into the uniform boots, which had been alchemically modified so that the ouroborus showed in blue on one, and the flamel in red on the other.

Pride waved his hand in front of Roy's face, "Hello?" He asked, his eyes confused. Roy twitched, pulling his eyes away from Pride's waist, stopping on his white gloved hands before focusing on the golden eyes that glowed with a tiny spark of emotion, something that was invisible three days before, but now shaped the person before Roy.

"Yes, welcome, Fullmetal." Roy leaned back in his chair, sipping coffee, and pulled out his most commanding smirk, "I have a mission for you, it's simple, and Alphonse can join you if he so chooses." Pride flopped on Roy's couch, his long golden braid hanging over his shoulder, his arms spread across the back of the couch, it was so like Edward that Roy paused again, his smirk slipping, "I want you to inspect the East Laboratory, I assume you, like Ed, know the different elements and are talented enough to get the job done." Pride nodded, watching Roy warily as he pulled one arm from the back of the couch and touched the bolt again,

"Colonel…" He murmured, then he lifted the hem of his shirt, dragging it up until Roy could see the bolt and the scars, "Am I Edward? Or…am I someone else?" his golden eyes flickered with uncertainty, and Roy felt something wrench at his heart painfully,

"Pride…Edward, you are you. No-one else." He stood up, walking around the desk, and pull the teenage sin up from the couch and against his chest, "Why don't you decide?"


	4. Chapter 4: Remembered

A/N: Just so you all know, this Pride is from BBI, but, as you'll see in this chapter, I've decided to make him my own, I do not own him, I do not own BBI, or FMA, but I've played with this character, and he's become quite the sweet little child, so, by the end of this, he will not be much like the original Pride at all.

Chapter 4: Remembered

Pride ripped himself from Roy's grasp with a gasp of shock, "I...I'll go inspect the lab..." He stuttered slightly, backing away from Roy, his face glowing pink with blushing, his shirt was hitched up on one side, and he tried to straighten it with shaky fingers, Roy bit his lip, turning to take a file from the desk,  
"Here, you'll need this, I want you to check for all elements listed, and if there are any that aren't listed in that lab...take a sample and bring it to me, if you know what it is, write it down here." He pointed to a space with extra lines near the bottom of the forth page, "If any of these aren't there, or they're running low, catalog it on the fifth page, then report back to me, and tell Alphonse he's not got any missions for at least awhile." Pride took the folder, trying to remember everything the Brigadier General had said,  
"I'll tell Al what you said." He muttered, throwing up a hesitant salute, as if his inner Ed was screaming at him not to, and left. Roy flopped behind his desk as soon as the door closed behind the sin, he'd seemed so like Edward in the short time he'd been in the office, and Roy was trying, with difficulty, to separate the two. Vaguely he recalled each soft thought he'd held for Edward before the teen had been killed...and resurrected. Roy sighed heavily, and leaned back in his chair, wondering if Pride remembered the single simple kiss he and Edward had shared, a few weeks before Ed had died, they hadn't had a chance to speak on it after it had happened, and Roy still wondered if Edward disliked it, or wanted more from him... Roy pressed his hand to his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away for awhile.

Pride squared his shoulders and immersed himself in Ed's memories, every touch and secret thought of Mustang assaulted him at once, and he pushed those memories away, reviewing everything about alchemy the teen had known, he knew most of it, only a few small things hadn't automatically integrated themselves into his head and being. He folded the file against his chest, touched the bolt in his chest as if for luck, and strode into the Eastern Laboratory.  
By the end of the inspection Pride felt tired, and emotional. He'd flipped out for no apparent reason, simply because someone remarked on his height, and he felt drained by it, but he shoved the tiredness aside, and sat in a nearby coffee shop, the folder open on the table, and a pen in his hand, he was wary, always watching for the strange feeling that told him Envy was near. He twirled the pen in his left hand as he reviewed his notes, adding tidbits, or little things he'd been unable to write within the lab, still writing left handed as Ed did, even without automail. The sin scratched the back of his head, just above his braid in a very Ed-ish way, and added a last note, "Chemical Sodium found in abundance, causes explosions when combined with water, not on list of needed elements, nor was it paid for by the military, but bought privately, dangerous." Pride chewed the end of the pen, trying to think what else to write, "Too much Lithium, twice as much as needed..." He closed the file, and stood up, paying for a cup of un-drunk coffee, and leaving the shop.

Roy looked up as his door slammed open and Pride strode in, trying desperately not to smirk, he tossed the folder onto Roy's desk, and flopped on the couch in that obnoxiously Ed-like way, with his arms across the back, and left leg slung over his right.  
"I did as you asked, Brigadier General." He stated, the door was still open, and Roy rolled his eyes as he moved reluctantly to shut it. Pride's smirk faltered as Roy stepped toward him, and a memory of soft lips pressing against his, no Ed's, lips made him raise his fingers to brush over his lips, and blush fiercely, Roy raised his eyebrows as he strode past Pride to sit behind his desk again, peering at the sin over steepled fingers. He reached down, and flipped open the file, "Hmm..." He murmured, flipping through the pages with real interest, "Extra Lithium and Sodium? They don't blend well..." Pride shook his head,  
"No, they don't, I'm wondering what they need them for...if someone were planning to high-jack a water shipment, sodium would be useful...but...Lithium?" Pride shook his head, leaning forward, balancing one elbow atop his knee, and placing his chin on the open palm. "Now, I have something else to discuss with you, what did the kiss mean?"

A/N: If you want to see my fanart of Pride and Roy, please go to http:// Jazz-the-demon. deviantart. com, it's all there. sorry for the spaces.


	5. Chapter 5: Beginnings

Chapter 5: beginnings

"What did the kiss mean?" Roy sputtered in shock at Pride's words, he'd just taken a drink of his coffee, and he choked on the liquid, it dripped onto his shirt, and flecked the desk, he dropped the report, staring at Pride, who unfolded himself from the couch and leaned over the desk, stretched on his tip toes, he lifted Roy's chin with his left hand, stared at him right back, holding himself up and over the desk with his other hand.  
"You remember that?!" Roy gasped in shock, Pride nodded, releasing Roy's chin, and stepping back,  
"I'm sorry...I suppose...you wouldn't want me to remember that, I mean...it was Edward you liked..." Pride turned away, "You can finish the report tomorrow...and judge me how you will." Before Roy could respond Pride had shut the office door behind him.

Pride clenched his fists as he walked through the outer office, ignoring the expectant looks Roy's team gave him, once outside the room he began to run, straight down a hallway, and leaped gracefully through the open window at the end.

Roy skidded and slid around the corner into the hall just in time to see Pride fling his body into the open space outside the window, he stared in shock, running as fast as he could to the window, he saw the sin land perfect and unscathed on his feet and take off toward Al's apartment. The General turned away from the window, sighing, and began to walk back to his office, when he looked up he realized his whole team was peering out of the doorway, waiting for...something.  
"All of you, get back to work." He ground out, but suddenly Riza's gun was in his face, he jumped back, flailing, as she glared at him,  
"You're just going to let him go?!" She asked, her tone showing she hated that course of action, Roy raised an eyebrow, and a bullet whizzed past his head, he froze. "You can't do that!" She growled, Roy opened his mouth to reply, but a soft, sad smile broke her features, "Go get him, sir. You deserve to be happy too." She murmured. Roy's eyes widened, and after a quick salute, which Hawkeye returned, he spun on his heel and took off down the stairwell, and out of the building.

Pride slowed to a walk around a mile from Central Headquarters, his hands clenched and unclenched as he struggled not to cry, "I'm not Edward...but...I _feel_ like Edward...I want _him_." He thought of Roy, and the tears threatened to spill from his anger filled golden eyes. He sighed, and a single tear rolled down his cheek, sliding over the red tattoo of Ed's flamel, and dropping to the ground to leave the tiniest wet circle on the ground, Pride shuddered, stopping to sit on a bench that was conveniently situated facing away from the park next to Al's apartment building. Pride kicked his feet slowly back and forth, scuffing the ground, with his boots.

Roy leaned over his knees, panting as he sighted Pride, who was settled onto a park bench, eyes downcast, shuffling his feet. He squared his shoulders, and, once he caught his breath, he walked over to the bench, flopping onto the cold metal surface next to Pride without a word. The sin didn't look up, but continued to study the ground quizzically with his fiery golden eyes, and Roy heaved a sigh.  
"I didn't get a chance to explain myself earlier..." Roy said quietly, watching Pride stiffen out of the corner of his eyes, "I kissed Edward because I ...really liked him... and no, you aren't him, but... you aren't... completely _not_ him either." Pride looked up, eyebrows contracting in confusion, and Roy tried again, "I mean...well, what I'm trying to say is, I like you too, Pride." Pride's eyes widened, shock evident on his features, and Roy bit his lip, "I'd like to...spend time with you, get to know you more...I think, if you feel what Edward said he felt...then I should...you know, try to broaden our... prior connection." Pride shook his head, sighing.  
"Prior connection..." Pride muttered, playing with a stray thread in his pants, "Do you want a relationship with me or not, Bastard?" Roy froze at the casual use of Ed's favorite nickname for him, and turned to look into the burning golden eyes he knew so well, yet that held in their depths things he couldn't even guess at.  
He took a deep breath, "I'd like to try at having a relationship." He said, looking into Pride's eyes. The sin blinked, then looked around, the street was deserted, no-one was looking at them, or even near them, and he leaned forward, and pressed a quick, feeble, inexperienced kiss to the older man's lips.

Roy reveled in the feeling of Pride's kiss, it was exactly like Edward's. The same hesitance, clumsiness, the rough, near chapped skin brushing against his lips, he shivered, it was amazing. Pride pulled back, blushing, and stood up, "I'm going home." He said, long golden braid swaying behind his lithe body, "I'll see you tomorrow, General." Roy watched the blond go, feeling, if possible, even more confused than he had before they kissed, he shook his head when Pride vanished inside, and stood to leave, "Hmm...I wonder what I've gotten myself into this time...?"

Pride sprawled on the couch in he and Al's living room, staring at the note stuck to the coffee table, _gone for the next 9 days, visiting Winry...make yourself at home Pride. Love Alphonse._ Pride shuddered, he had a horrible time sleeping here when Al was _in_ the house, he'd never slept alone before, had always fallen asleep with Envy curled protectively around him, and Wrath snuggled into his side for warmth, and now he was all alone in a house he didn't feel any need to inhabit if Alphonse himself wasn't even there. He peered out the window, watching the sky darken early, only realizing it was too dark to be five o'clock when thunder rumbled outside, and lightning lit up the gray sky. He jumped at the sound, silently berating himself for being afraid of thunder, he watched the first heavy drops fall to the Earth, like outcast angels from heaven, falling to the cold hard ground.  
He tried to find things to occupy himself with, reading each of Al's books in turn, but by nine o'clock he'd finished them all, and he was starting to feel panicky. He opened Al's Military directory, where the addresses and phone numbers were listed, running his finger down the M section until it landed on Mustang. There was no number, only an address, down in the fancier neighborhoods of Central City, Pride pulled his trench coat from the chair he'd earlier abandoned it on, and slid it over his shoulders, maybe he could visit Mustang for awhile...

"This was dumb..." He grumbled, pushing his soaked golden hair out of his eyes, he raised his hand to knock on Mustang's door, but fear pulled at him, and he hesitated there, struggling with the decision of whether or not to knock, he finally rapped his knuckles on the thick wooden door, then waited. There was no answer, and two minutes later Pride was hammering on the door as loud as he could, he stepped back, looking the house over, there were no lights on, it looked empty and cold, and he wondered what he thought he'd get out of coming here.  
He turned, and sat on the bottom stair of the short flight up to Roy's porch, he wasn't under the eaves, and therefore the rain was still pouring down on him, but it felt nice, he pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on his knees and wrapping his arms around the tops of his legs. And waited.

Roy grimaced as he pulled his dark trench coat closer around his body, trying to avoid getting too wet as he stepped out of the Military building, Riza followed behind him quietly, having weedled all information on he and Pride's talk out of him hours before, and opened the door of the waiting car for him. He slid inside, and she closed it behind him, hurrying to the driver's side, she slid into her own seat, and drove him home, saluting once before leaving to go to her own apartment.  
After finding the correct key on his key ring he walked up the path to his door, only to find himself standing at the bottom of his porch steps, looking straight down into a pair of miserable golden eyes under wet golden hair that shimmered with rain drops.


	6. Chapter 6: Can I sleep with you?

Chapter 6: Can I...sleep with you?

"Come on, let's go inside." He said, stepping past Pride and up to the door, he heard a small noise, and Pride was suddenly behind him, shaking with cold. He unlocked the door, and held it open, allowing Pride to step inside before him, "What brings you here at this late hour?" He glanced at his watch, it was past eleven,  
"Al went to Rezembol..." Pride muttered, Roy nodded to himself, he knew how close the brothers had been, Pride was probably lonely. The thought made his heart accelerate. "The house was...so empty...and...I walked over here at nine..." Roy looked up,  
"Really? I wish I'd known, I would have come back sooner." He shook his head, and headed past the living room toward the nearest bathroom, grabbing a towel and handing it to Pride, "You can sleep in one of my spare rooms, pick any one you like, in fact, you can stay until Al gets back if you want." Pride stared at Roy in shock,  
"I...maybe...I'll stay tonight..." He muttered, toweling his bangs dry, then struggling to unbraid the rest so as to dry it as well. When he was done it hung limply down his back in wet tangles. Pride shivered.  
"Here, these are your blankets, because it's cold tonight, and...here's an extra pillow. My room is the first at the top of the stairs, you can have any room you want beyond that." Roy turned and walked into the kitchen, putting water on to boil for tea, and taking off his jacket.  
Half an hour later saw Roy sitting in his bed, wrapped in a comfy looking robe, reading a book and drinking his tea, Pride was in the room furthest from his own, curled under a pile of blankets, staring blankly at the wall, wearing too-big pajamas Roy had lent him, that hung off his small frame, and it seemed both were content to stay where they were. Roy set his empty cup down, and lay the book beside it, pulling the blankets higher over his body, he turned out the light and tried to fall asleep, more like struggled not to think about the gorgeous blond three doors down... As he shook the thought away he heard his door open, he turned, ready to...something whoever was intruding in his house, but when he looked up, it was Pride, standing in the doorway, his arms wrapped around a pillow he held to his chest, eyes downcast, the teen was shivering, bare feet pale against the dark hardwood flooring.  
"Can I...sleep with you?" Pride's voice was soft, and frightened sounding, lightning flashed outside, and Roy could have sworn he heard the teen squeak in fear. "I'm sorry...I just...I can't sleep alone..." Roy sat up, sighing, and flipped back the blankets,  
"Come on then." He said, and Pride climbed slowly into the bed, curling into a small ball as Roy let the blankets settle over the younger man.  
"Thank you..." Pride murmured, and Roy bit his lip, those words served to remind him that the teenager beside him was not Edward, it was Pride.  
Roy lay awake a long time after that, pondering the events that had brought the sin into his house. He tensed as a warm arm was slung over his chest, and a small nose nuzzled into the crook of his neck and shoulder. Warm breath puffed repeatedly against his throat, from the steadiness of the breathing Roy assumed that Pride was asleep.  
Roy turned his head away, staring out the window next to his bed, and tucked his own arm around the warm body next to him, allowing the teen to burrow into his side.

Pride snuffled against the warm flesh beside him, eyes closed against the light pouring through the window, he felt warm, and content, and suddenly he realized why. Pride shot up, staring down at black hair and pale skin, a comfortable content smile twitched at the corners of the sensual mouth, lips slightly parted to breathe, and Pride found he couldn't tear his eyes from the sight before him. He hadn't noticed the night before that Roy was only wearing boxers, and in Pride's flurry of movement trying to sit up, the blanket had been pulled away, and before Pride was a long expanse of snowy flesh, barely covering the beautiful sinew and muscle, Pride reached out in surprise, letting his fingers brush softly across a huge scar on Roy's lower left stomach, "It's from when I tried to kill Lust, before they made a new one..." Pride jerked his fingers back, black eyes locked with gold, Pride blushed scarlet as Roy sat up, "It's alright, I didn't mind." The older man smirked. Pride, however, had skittered from the room, and Roy's eyebrows contracted in confusion as he stared at the open doorway.

That night, as Roy was starting to drift off to sleep he heard the door open slowly, and moments later he felt the mattress dip as Pride slid under the blankets. Roy smiled.

The next few days were uneventful, Roy went to the office, Pride followed, he sent Pride on some boring day mission, then went home in the evening, only to find Pride sitting on his couch reading him books or some such thing, saying every time "Maybe I'll stay one more night." and every time Roy would smile, and make tea, and they'd sit and read. Then night would fall, and the hard exterior Pride had thrown up to protect himself would come crashing down, the teen would inevitably find his way into Roy's bed, and curl against the older man, and Roy would wrap and arm around the sin, and fall asleep to the sound of Pride's even breathing, when the dawn came Roy woke alone, after the first day, and upon going downstairs he'd find Pride cooking something for breakfast.


	7. Chapter 7: Ignition

Chapter 7: Ignition

Pride curled on Roy's couch, it was the morning of the fifth day of Alphonse's absence, and he had very obviously taken over Roy's living room, he'd  
gone and gotten a suitcase full of...clothes exactly like Ed's old clothes, and had taken to wearing them around the house, saving his self-proclaimed  
uniform for the times Roy called him into the office as well. At the moment he was sipping a mug of milky coffee, holding a book on Flame Alchemy  
in his right hand, and scanning the pages eagerly as he'd done with every other book Roy own over the past few days, Edward's black tank top hung a  
little loose on Pride's lithe frame, and the black leather pants shone dully in the light, cleaned of all the dust of Edward's travels. He didn't look up as  
Roy entered the room via a flight of stairs that led to the bedrooms, or when Roy paused as he had every time he'd seen Pride in Ed's clothes for the  
customary five second glance over, then the older man grumbled something about coffee and couches and went into the kitchen. It was quickly  
becoming routine.  
Roy shook his head, it was like being around Edward sometimes, because Pride's essential make up was that of Ed, he had the same focus, the same  
hardness in his eyes, and the new determination that shone with the same light that had shone in Ed's eyes when he'd talk about getting he and Al's  
bodies back, except now it was over something else.  
"R-Roy..." The older man turned, his eyes sleepy and half lidded, and Pride blushed, peering over the book at Roy, "I was thinking...maybe...we  
could...g-go out somewhere..." Pride stuttered, "Nevermind, forget about it, I..." He lifted the book and hid behind it, but Roy pushed it down, leaning  
over it to look at Pride,  
"That would be...nice I think." He said, smirking, Pride jerked the book up, blushing darker, and the sharp corner of the book slammed into Roy's chin,  
drawing a spot of blood, and bruising the area around it, Roy pulled his head back, "Ouch..." he grimaced, wincing as he touched the small cut, before  
he could say anything else Pride was flailing in front of him, his hands fluttered around Roy as if unsure of what to do,  
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!" He chanted over and over, Roy tried to tell him it was alright, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise, "I'm so  
sorry, here...let me help." Before Roy could speak Pride had slapped his hands together, and placed one on Roy's chin. Light flashed, blinding them  
both, and Roy pushed Pride away, suddenly unsure, when his eyes cleared his face felt fine, but Pride had run away, straight out the front door as soon  
as Roy shoved him. Roy ran his bare fingers over his chin, the cut was completely gone, and the bruise too, he stared out the open door, contemplating,  
he'd be late for work if he followed Pride, but...what if Pride got into trouble?  
Roy was stepping out the door, his military jacket pulled over his shoulders when the phone rang, he ignored it, and hurried off, looking for Pride.

Pride curled his legs up to his chest, sitting on the same bench by Alphonse's house, he rested his chin on his knees, Roy's shove had scared him, he  
wasn't Edward, he didn't want to fight with Roy, and though he bristled at the comments about his height, he had grown at least two full inches, his hair  
was way longer than it had been... he jumped when a hand fell on his shoulder,  
"Hello, Pride. Or should I call you...Edward now?" the voice that purred in his ear made shivers crawl down his spine, and he pulled away,  
"H-Envy!" He jumped to his feet, landing behind the bench, he brought his hands up in a defensive stance, inches apart, waiting for Envy to move,  
"Don't worry, Edward, I'm not here to fight you, or even to take you back." He smirked at Pride, and the younger sin winced at the implications of that  
remark, "Father says you can play at your human game, he doesn't care. But there are some fun things coming up that we don't want you to miss." Envy  
sat on the bench, leaving his back unprotected to Pride.  
Pride finally lowered his hands, leaning against the fence behind it, his hands in the pockets of Ed's leather pants, the same belt hung down from it, and  
the same watch chain glittered where it protruded from his pocket, "I'm still Pride...I think..." the blond muttered, watching Envy's hair bob in a light  
breeze that sprung up, making Pride's braid sway too.


	8. Chapter 8: Fight or flight

Chapter 8: Fight or Flight

After a few minutes of silence, Pride flopped on the bench beside Envy, who transformed into an innocent looking woman, in a soft blue dress, and smiled winningly at him, "What fun are you talking about?" He asked finally, ignoring Envy's batting eyelashes, and hand on his arm, the older sin sighed,  
"If you go back to your precious General you'll find out soon enough." Pride bristled at the words, and Envy continued stroking his arm, Pride finally pulled his arm away, feeling uncomfortable. "What's the matter, Pride? You didn't seem to mind me touching you before you saw those...creatures you now love so much." Envy's fingers moved to trail down Pride's chest, and the blond stood up, moving away from Envy,  
"Just...leave me alone." He growled, turning as if to walk away, but a voice rang out from ahead of him  
"Pride!!" He looked up, a strange urge to run the other way flew threw him, but Mustang called out a second time, "Pride Elric get your butt over here!" Pride froze, _Pride Elric_ He shivered, _That sounds...right."_ The thought made Pride feel lighter, he smiled, and broke into a run, flinging himself into Roy's arms, as Envy conveniently vanished over the fence into the park. Roy nearly fell over backward when Pride hit his chest.  
"That's right." He said, leaning back, grinning up at Roy, the older man raised his eyebrows,  
"Why'd you run off?" Roy asked, placing a hand on Pride's shoulder, the sin bit his lip, and shrugged,  
"I guess...you pushed me...and...it...I didn't know what to do after, so...I just did what I used to, back when Envy would beat up on me or something, I'd run and hide somewhere until he wasn't angry anymore." Pride looked away, trying to act as though it wasn't important, but Roy's eyebrows contracted again.  
"He...he hurt you?" Roy's voice was soft, and Pride's eyes snapped up at the obvious concern in the man's voice.  
"Y-yeah..." Pride murmured, "But I'm fine." He said, flashing a fake grin at Roy, "Let's go to work...I've been called in today, too." He turned for the house, but Roy grabbed his arm,  
"We don't have time to go home first, I'm already late, which means you are too." Roy held out a mass of red fabric, "I couldn't find your coat, so I grabbed Ed's one that you brought over, here." Pride took the jacket, pulling it on, and Roy watched as the fabric slithered over Pride's body, billowing out in the wind until the red material settled on the Sin's shoulders.  
"Alright, let's go." Pride said, biting his lip as he pressed his hands back into his pockets, Roy's hand lifted, and his pale fingertisp brushed over the tattoo on Pride's cheek,  
"It got darker...it's the color of blood now..." Pride blushed, pulling his face away, and turning to walk toward the Military Headquarters building, Roy shook his head, and followed after, wondering why he felt so torn.

"Um...." Pride's voice was small and meek sounding, the sin was curled on a couch in the main office attached to Roy's, all the men working in the office were staring at him, he felt the urge to pull the trench coat he'd abandoned on his new desk back on, but it was far away, seeing as he was on the couch, and he didn't feel like walking over to get it. The men turned away suddenly as Hawkeye entered the room, walking right up to Pride with a small smile,  
"Good Morning, Pride, Alphonse get's back soon, doesn't he?" She asked politely, Pride looked up at her,  
"In four more days..." He muttered, looking downcast,  
"What's wrong, something bothering you Pride?" He never got the chance to answer as Roy began to shout obscenities in the other room. Until about half and hour before Pride had been in there with him, but the phone rang, and Roy had been otherwise occupied. Now Pride knew why.  
"STUPID WAR!!" Roy screamed, the door slammed open and Pride stared up into pain-filled obsidian eyes, "Pride..." Roy flopped on the couch beside him as the General's subordinates hastily tried to make it look as if they'd been working, "Damn it... Supposedly Xing waged war on Amestris this morning," The inhabitants of the office gasped as one, eyes widening with shock. Xing had been an alli, they hadn't expected this. "The Fuhrer ordered that half the state alchemists be sent to deal with the first wave, including Armstrong...and you, Pride." Pride looked up, his eyes hardening to topaz,  
"It's alright, General. I'm not afraid, I'll go, then I can protect Central." It was clear to everyone in the room what Pride really meant, by Central he meant "Roy". "When do I leave?" Pride stood up, looking every bit the hardened soldier Roy's subordinates usually were.  
"Tomorrow." Roy choked out, looking at the Sin before him, it was one more reminder that he wasn't Edward, the way his eyes flashed, and he looked ready to bestow death on any who threatened Roy, just as that thought crossed Roy's mind Pride's shirt slipped to the side, and flashed the room with his right shoulder, covered in scars all the way around, with a large metal bolt drilled into his chest just below his collar bone, and Roy realized he was Edward, it was just...a different Edward, like maybe, if Ed had grown up being around Roy, and had always been his subordinate, and hadn't had the quest to be on, maybe Ed would have been like this.  
"Yes, Sir. Permission to go prepare, sir?" Pride stood straight, waiting for an answer,  
"Granted." Roy gritted out, Pride saluted, and, grabbing his coat, he vanished in a swirl of red and gold.

Roy bit his lip as he entered his home, spotting Pride's suitcase by the door, completely packed, and the uniform jacket sitting atop it, he could hear Pride bustling around upstairs, and so he headed that way, he was shocked when he reached his bedroom, the door was open, and it was spotted with candles, and smelled nice, a fire roared in the fire place, and the bed was perfectly made, Pride had cleaned the whole room, and was nowhere to be seen, until Roy heard a gentle splash from his bathroom. He inched the bathroom door open, and peered through the crack, struck by what he saw, Pride was in the bath, his black top and other clothes were in a pile on the floor, all that was visible of the sin was his upper torso, pale scarred flesh peeked over the top edge of the claw-foot tub, but the clear water left nothing to the imagination, and Roy's eyes slid over the sculpted planes of Pride's chest and stomach, the hard muscles in his legs, and the simple smooth looking golden curls surrounding the place that drew Roy's eyes. He ripped his gaze back near Pride's face, his head was tilted back against the edge of the tub, and as Roy watched Pride's slender, but muscular arms came dripping from the water, and lifted his wet golden locks from the tub, letting his hair hang down behind the tub, it spiraled toward the floor like spun silk, reflecting the light, and glimmering wetly, Roy didn't even mind that it was dripping copious amounts of water on the tile floor.  
Pride was humming quietly to himself, his ears were immersed in the water, and his eyes were closed, and Roy slipped out of the bathroom, sitting on his bed, and making a lot of noise while taking off his shoes.  
"I'm in the bath!" He heard Pride shout from the bathroom, "You can come...join me...if you'd like to." Pride's voice lowered until Roy could barely hear it, he visualized the tub in his mind, yes, there was plenty of room in there, "I...actually I need your help, to wash my hair."


End file.
